Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Kate Doak
- Type: Three-masted wooden schooner
- Year Built: 1864
- Builder: Robert Doak
- Dimensions: 68 ft × 19 ft × 6 ft (20.7 m × 5.8 m × 1.8 m); 55 tons
- Registered Tonnage: 55 tons
- Location: Near Pere Marquette (modern Ludington), Lake Michigan
- Official Number: 14062
- Number of Masts: Three
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A smaller three-masted wooden schooner, likely used for coastal cargo operations along Lake Michigan. Such vessels were common for lumber, coal, or grain transport in mid-19th century.
Description
Standard wooden hull with three-mast schooner rigging. Light-tonnage vessel (~55 tons) suggests modest cargo holds and simple deckhouse structures, suitable for short-haul Lake Michigan routes.
History
Built in 1864 in De Pere, Wisconsin by Robert Doak, Kate Doak served regional trade through the mid-Great Lakes. In November 1867, she encountered a violent storm off the modern Ludington area (then known as Pere Marquette). The storm, exacerbated by reportedly inadequate fastening of hull and rigging components, caused her to founder. Contemporary records vary on casualties, but two or three crew are believed to have perished (linkstothepast.com, greatlakesrex.wordpress.com).
Significant Incidents
- Foundered in a storm, reportedly “poorly fastened”
- Casualties: 2 or 3 crew members lost
Final Disposition
The vessel sank during the storm and was abandoned. No salvage efforts are documented. The exact wreck location remains unknown, presumed in deep water near the shoreline.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No documented discovery. The wreck remains unlocated and presumed undiscovered.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”kate-doak-us-14062″ title=”References & Links”]
Kate Doak’s loss exemplifies the vulnerability of small wooden schooners on Lake Michigan, where storms and structural weaknesses could swiftly become fatal. Launched in 1864, her short service ended in the 1867 gale near Pere Marquette, leaving behind a modest but poignant historical footnote. The lack of surviving records or a found wreck underscores both the challenges of deep-water preservation and mid-19th-century maritime hazards.
Legacy Notes & Full Historical Record
This section preserves the original unedited Shotline content for this wreck so that no historical detail is lost as we transition to the new logbook format.
KATE DOAK (Official No. 14062; Launched 1864)
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Official number: 14062
- Built: 1864, De Pere, Wisconsin by Robert Doak
- Vessel type: Three-masted wooden schooner
- Dimensions: 68 ft × 19 ft × 6 ft (20.7 m × 5.8 m × 1.8 m); 55 tons
- Date Lost: November 1867
- Loss Location: Near Pere Marquette (modern Ludington), Lake Michigan
- Cargo: Not recorded
- Crew Losses: 2 or 3 lives lost
- Circumstances: Foundered in a storm, reportedly “poorly fastened”
Vessel Type
A smaller three-masted wooden schooner, likely used for coastal cargo operations along Lake Michigan. Such vessels were common for lumber, coal, or grain transport in mid‑19th century.
Description
Standard wooden hull with three-mast schooner rigging. Light-tonnage vessel (~55 tons) suggests modest cargo holds and simple deckhouse structures, suitable for short-haul Lake Michigan routes.
History
Built in 1864 in De Pere, Wisconsin by Robert Doak, Kate Doak served regional trade through the mid-Great Lakes. In November 1867, she encountered a violent storm off the modern Ludington area (then known as Pere Marquette). The storm, exacerbated by reportedly inadequate fastening of hull and rigging components, caused her to founder. Contemporary records vary on casualties, but two or three crew are believed to have perished (linkstothepast.com, greatlakesrex.wordpress.com).
Final Disposition
The vessel sank during the storm and was abandoned. No salvage efforts are documented. The exact wreck location remains unknown, presumed in deep water near the shoreline.
Located By & Date Found
No documented discovery. The wreck remains unlocated and presumed undiscovered.
Notmars & Advisories
None recorded historically or on modern charts.
Resources & Links
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Files – KATE DOAK (en.wikipedia.org)
Conclusion
Kate Doak’s loss exemplifies the vulnerability of small wooden schooners on Lake Michigan, where storms and structural weaknesses could swiftly become fatal. Launched in 1864, her short service ended in the 1867 gale near Pere Marquette, leaving behind a modest but poignant historical footnote. The lack of surviving records or a found wreck underscores both the challenges of deep-water preservation and mid-19th-century maritime hazards.
Keywords and Categories
Schooner, wood, 1860s, Lake Michigan, storm loss, Pere Marquette, poorly fastened structure, crew fatalities, mid‑Great Lakes shipping.
kate-doak-us-14062 1867-06-25 19:19:00